Aerodrome.



E. J ELSAS.

AERODROME.

992:410- y l Patented May 16, 1911 I l i' '11 [Il I! ,HWIIUI u.

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E. J. ELSAS.

AERODROMB.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 5, 1910.

Patented May 1.6, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Attorneys.

E. J. ELSAS.

AERODROMB.

APPLIGATION FILED 00T. 5. 1910.

Patented May 16, 191.1.

ZZMWJJZZJ@ Witnesses l UNITED srarns PATENT onirica.

' EDWARD J. ELSAS, 0F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

AERODROME.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. ELSAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Aerodrome, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aerodromes of the by-plane type, one of its objects being to provide means whereby the lateral balance of the machine may be maintained, said means being under the constant control of the aviator.

A further object is to provide an aerodrome having spaced propellers and a separate motor for driving each propeller, means being employed whereby the motors can be caused to operate independently or can be coupledso as to drive the two propeller-s in. unison.

Another object is to provide simple means for placing each propeller in or out of opel'- ative relation with its motor.

Another object is to provide improved steering mechanism whereby the machine may be directed in a desired path, either laterally or in an upward or downward'direction.

Another object is to provide a front deflecting plane adapted to be furled when not in use and which, when extended, operates to prevent forward dip ing of the machine and to restore longitudinal equilibrium.

With the vforegoing and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of `construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

'In the accompanying drawings, the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings,-Figure l is a plan view of the machine, a portion'of the sustaining plane being removed. I Fig. 2 is a front clevation of the machine. Fig. 3 -is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view, partly in sectionand partly in elevation, showing the means employed for coupling or unconpling the motors of the two propellers. .Fig.

5 is a section on line A--B Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged section through one of thel `propellerclutches. Fig. 7 is (a section on line C-,D.Fig. 6. Fig. 8 isa detail view showing means whereby two frame members maybeconnected together.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 Aclesigamates bowed ribs which are preferably parallel` and have upstanding eyes Q in which are arranged diagonal braces 3, the rear terminals 'of the ribs being formed with notches to receive the border wires of the plane, and withsplit eyes 4 adapted to engage the rear standards, the front ends of those ribs, having eyes to engage the rear members 5 of the frame of the top sustaining plane 6, this plane being in the form of a fabric which is stretched upon the bottom faces of the ribs, braces, etc., and is vcurved from its front to its rear edge, the concave surface of the plane being lowermost. The lower sustaining plane 7 is of the same construction as the upper plane and is connected thereto by hollow oval standards 8 secured to the ends of the ribs 1 and which Specieationl of Letters Patent. Patented May 16, 1911.-

Application filed October 5, 1910. Serial No. 585,488.

are braced by means ofcross stay wires 9 two middle ribs of the lower plane by means of downwardly diverging frame members 10. These members 10 extend below the rear edge of the plane 7 and are secured to rearwardly converging spars l1 which are inclined upwardly and are connected, at their rear ends, to a similar spar 12 inclinedupwardly toward and connected to the rear end of the cent-ral rib of the frame of 'the top plane 6. The spars 11 'and 12 thus form a rearwardly extending frame which may be bracedat desired points by means yof connecting strips 13 and crossed wires 14. The side spars 11 and 12 have uprights 15 secured to them and extending downwardly therebelow, said uprights being attached to thel spa rs by downwardly diverging spars 16 and by brace wires. the uprights thus being capable. of lateral flexibility. Each upright is provided at its lower end with aspring skid 17. A bracek wire 18 may connect the lower end of eachy upright to one of the frame;members 10, as shown in Fig. 3, and

lthe two .uprights may be connected bya cross r Curvedbars 19 extend v,forwardly and upi vwardly .from the lower ends of theframe The wheel 20 and the skid 17 are adapted to coperate to hold the machine in proper position while the same isresting upon the ground prior or subsequent to its flight.

As shown in Fig. 3, the two planes 6 7 are inclined upwardly and 'forwardly with relation to the surface on which the machine is supported. The top plane 6 has its rear corner portions cut away along rearwardly Vconvergin lines, as indicated at 21 and journaled within the frames of the two planes are upstanding shafts 22 each of which extends upwardly to the forward end of one of the cutaway portions of the top plane. A segmental shutter or balancing plane 23Jis fixedly connected to each of theshafts 22 and is so proportioned as to closevone'of the cut away corner portions of the .top plane, when said balancing plane is shifted in one direction, and to thus increase the sustaining and balancing effect of the plane 6. The two balancing planes or shutters are connected yby a cord 24 and the two shafts have sheaves 26 attached to the lower portions thereof and secured to the ends of an operating cord or belt 27 which is looped about and attached to a sheave 2,8 secured to the lower end port-ion of a tubular steering or control'- ling shaft 29. This shaft extends upwardly adjacent the seat 30 to Abe occupied by the aviator and an operating wheel 31 connected to the upper end of the shaft. It will be seen that, by rotating the shaft 29, motion will be transmitted through the cord '27,V Aand the.

Wheels es and 26 to th Shafts 22 which win,

by reason of the connection between the twov balancingplanes 23, result in the simultaneous movement of said planes toward,-` .either side ofthe machine. One plane 23- will thuslbe retracted under the top plane 6,

while the other plane 23 will be projected; beyond said plane. It will be seen that byij` means of this mechanism the plane 23 can be shifted laterally so as to obtain the desiredlateral-balance while the machine is in ight.

A universal joint 32` is arranged at the point where the spare, 11 -and 12 come together and thisjoint serves to connect v.the

` spars with the combined horizontal and verticalv rudder used in connection witlthe niachine. indicatedgenerallylat 33,consists of ribs-34 radiating their ends by wires 35, the fabric. 36 consti-` tuting the body of' the rudder, being interposed between these ribs and wires and termina-ting at the forwardly diverging ribs. The horizontal rudder, which `has been indicated generally at 37 is also made up of ribs 38 radiatin from the joint 32 and connected at their en s by wires 39r or the like, the fabbricl 40 constituting the body of the rudder,

being inter osed between these ribs andterminating a ong the forwardly diverging ribs The vertical rildder which has'been' j the reduced rom the joint 32 and connected at 38. A central strip 41 extends rearwardly from the intersecting portions of the vert-ical and horizontal rudders and the free end of this strip is connected by means of brace wires 42 or the like to the outer ends of the rearwardly extending ribs 38 and 34., As' the.

front edges of the two rudders diverge ,fori wardly, it will be apparent that the rudders are free to swing upon the universal joint 32v v to a desired extent without interference the bars 11 and 12. v

A tubular shaft 43 is In ounted ony the shaft.

29 heretofore referred to and has awheel 44- at its upper end while a sheave 45 is secured to the lower end thereof. A steering cord 46 is wrapped about and secured to-'the sheave and extends partly around guide sheaves47 located adjacent the sides of the machine' rudder, which is connected to and rmoves with the horizontal rudder, to swing about .the substantially vertical axis extending through the universal joint 32. Actuation of the horizontal rudder is effected by means or. cords 48 connected to the free end portions ofthe forward ribs 34, these cords be` ing taut and extendinfpartly around guide sheaves 49 and 50, thev front'ends 'ofy the cords being attached' to -a lever 51 at points above and below the fulcrum thereof. This lever may be provided with any suitable E rnealinsfor locking it against movement and, v(' bviously,' by shiftingv thel lever the two v cords connected thereto c'a'n be moved simultaneously inOpPvSite directions sov as to ac',- 'tuate thfevertical rudder andthusscause the.

horizontal rudder -to 4:tilt about aaxi'sfexi tending substantially horizontally'through the universal joint 32. 1 f V The propelling mechanism includes two central longitudinally extending shafts 52 and V53 arran ed in alinement and each of 'which is prov1ded,at an intermediate oint, with key seats 54one end of each seat eing undercut, as indicated at 55s() as to receive ointed end`56vof a key 57. The other en of said key tapers and a ring 58 enga es the tapered en sl of the keys and ybinds them lagainst the shaft so as to thus hold the keys firmly within theirv seats.

YA sleeve 59 lis loosely mounted on the kmeeting end vportions of the shafts'52 and 53 and is provided, a't each end, with interior, longitudinal channels 60 adapted to receive the i .-12 that,v,when said sleeve is moved longitudinally to one limit, one set of keys 57 Aengaged by the sleeve, while the keys upon keys 57. The length of the sleeve 59 is such the other shaft will.` be disengaged from the sleeve. The two shafts are thus free to rotate independently of each other but the sleeve will of course rotate with that shaft with which it is interlocked. rlhe sleeve has a series of annular ribs 6l adapted to engage i Each of the shafts 52 and 53 is Vprovided adjacent its outer end, with cranks adapted to be driven by a multiple cylinder motor 63 connected directly to the shaft, one of the motors being provided for each shaft. A fuel tank 64 may be mounted close to the center of the upper sustaining plane 6 and the supply of fuel fed to the motor can be controlled in any suitable manner, as by means of a valve-controlled lever located upon the wheel 31 and as found in some types of automobile structures.

Each shaft 52 and 53 is provided, at its outer end, with a. propeller 65, the hub of which has aseries of recesses 66 in one face thereof. A clutch member 67 is feathered on the shaft and has locking ribs 68. lThis clutch member 67 has an annular flange 69 which is engaged by a lever 70. The lever. is fulcrumed at one end upon a bracket 71, while its other end is connected, by means of a cord 72 or the like to a foot lever 73. A collar 68a is fixed on a shaft 52 near member 67 and springs 74 are interposed between the collar and clutch member and hold the ribs 68 normally seated in recesses 66. By actuating the foot lever the two levers70 can be simultaneously shifted so as to disengage the clutch member 67 from the hubs of the propellers by withdrawing the ribs 68 from the recesses 66. This actuation of -the lever 70 places under stress springs 74 which operate to hold said levers 70 and the clutches normally in predetermined positions. VVhentthe lever 78 is released the springs 74 return the clutch members 67 to their initial posit-ions against the hubs of the propellers and the ribs 68 are thus held until they come into register with the recesses 66, whereupon they are projected automatically into the recesses and thus lock the propellers to the shafts 52 and 53.

When the two shafts 52 and 53 are uncoupled, they will be rotatedl independentlyJ by their respective mot/ors and the 'propellers will thus be independently actuated. Both propellers vcan be operated in' unison by coupling the two shafts togethenand, should one motorbecome disabled, the other motor can thus be employed for rotating both of l the propellers..

1n operating the machine either .or both of the propellers are set in motion and the shafts thereof may be coupled together if Ldesired. The inclined upper and lower planes 6 and 7 will lthus be drawn forward and will glide upwardly, the direct-ion of flight both laterally and upwardly and downwardly being controlled by the vertical and horizontal rudders 36 and 37, respectively. Should the machine tilt laterally to an undesirable extent, the balancing planes 23 may be shifted to the right or to the left,

according to the side which is lowermost andl the lateral balance of the machine may thus be quickly restored by increasing the area of the upper plane at one side of the center and reducing the area thereof at the 'other side. Either or both Aofthe propellers can.

be placed outof connection with its motor by shifting the clutch 67 belonging thereto. r1`he provision of the two motors connected in the manner described is advantageous for the reason that, should one of the motors become disabled from any cause while the machine is in flight, the other can be utilized to drive one or both of the propellers.

The Vskids operate as resilient runners to ease the machine while alighting. The seat 30 which has been referred to may be extended any desired distance longitudinally of the machine and may be of any c-onstruction desired. The aviator may sit astride the seat or with his feet directly in front of it, the latter position being necessary should Fit be deemed desirable to attach supplemental. seats to the sides of the aviators seat for holding passengers. 1n order that the aviator may have a View -of the ground directly under the machine, a portion of the lower plane is made of transparent material, as indicated at 75 in Fig. 2.

` For the purpose of preventing forward dipping of the machine and for restoring the longitudinal balance, a supplemental front plane 76 may be employed, this plane being normally rolled, as indicated at 77 and having one or more operating cords 78 connected to its free end and guided upon sheaves 79 certain ofwhich are located at the forward ends of. forwardly projecting spars 80 extending from the frame of the top sustaining plane. These operating cords extend downwardly to points adjacent the seats to be occupied by the aviator and may be provided with any suitable means for operating them. The spars 80 are inclined upwardly toward their front ends and di- 'verge forwardly yso that, when the said supplemental plane 76 is drawn forward onto the spars, it operates to deflect the machine upwardly and thus restore andmaintain thel longitudinal balance thereof.

Various changes can `of course 'be made in the construction and arrangement of. the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims. v

What is claimed is t l. An aerodrome including separate alining shafts, a propeller upon each shaft, a motor for driving each shaft, keys detachably connected to the shafts, a coupling member loosely mounted on said shafts, and means for shifting said member into engagement with the keys upon either or both of the shafts.

2. An aerodrome including alining shafts, a propeller uponeach shaft, a motor for driving each shaft., coupling elements iiredly mounted upon the shafts, a shiftable member upon the shafts and having annular ribs upon said member, andv an actuating device including a segmental gear engaging the rib portion of said member to shiftthe member into engagement with the coupling elements upon either or both of the'shafts.

3. An aerodrom including alinin shafts,

' longitudinally extending keys fixe 1y connected to the adjacent end portions of the shafts, a sleeve loosely mounted on said end portions and having interior longitudinal channels in the end portions thereof,`v there being annular ribs upon the outer surface .of the sleeve and means engaging said ribs for f shiftingthe sleeve longitudinally during the rotation thereof toengage the keys upon either or both. of the shafts;

4. ln an aerodrome, the combination with alining shafts, a propeller connected to each shaft, and a motor for driving each shaft, of

keys extending longitudinally upon and secured to the adjacent end portions of the shafts, a sleeve loosely mounted on said end portions, said sleeve having interior longi tudinal seats in the end portions thereof and having exterior annular ribs, means engaging the ribs for shifting the sleeve longitu-v dinally during the rotation thereof to engage the keys upon eitherv or both of fthe shafts.

5. In an aerodrome, lthe combination with upper and lower sustaining planes, of alining shafts arranged therebetween, a propeller at the front end of one ofthe shafts and lat the back end of the other shaft, a`

.In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiXed my 'signa ture in the presenceof two witnesses.

` EDWARD J. ELsAs.

Witnesses:

CEAS. E. MACDONALD, CLEM 'lhmrmm 

